Direct experience: Yoga

Truthfully, I would have never done yoga if not for my sister. She pushed it off and on through my life. She is one of the many women that embarked on her self healing journey before me and helped show me the way. I had been introduced to the idea that the body holds onto stress and can cause tension and other such problems - It's that or my calves were just tight because I was inactive, yeah it was probably that. I later came to know this physical practice as asana, only one limb of traditional yoga.

Before I started learning about the 8 limbs of yoga, I started to connect my breath to my movements. Breathing in as I extend my posture, stopping and holding my breath at the apex of each stretch - when my body reached the point that was not yet painful but lengthened to the point that it was uncomfortable. Holding my breath and the pose. Finally breathing out while allowing my muscles to relax into the pose. It was here that I found the importance and mechanics of release. I have found release to be an integral part not just of my yoga practice but also how I navigate life. I found this to be akin to meditation for me. Even if that’s too out there for you there are tangible benefits of asana as well.

Take for instance flexibility, balance and of course strength. Working on flexibility helps your overall joint health according to a variety of body work specialists across many fields. You don’t have to take my word for anything, ever. Balance is only important if you want to walk upright and not fall. You need strength to support balance and flexibility. Wait, Mau, how are these life lessons - these are just the physical benefits of stretching and strength training.

I have found in my healing journey that these things are even more beneficial when one integrates them in their everyday life. Beyond the physical practice. That is to say flexibility of mind has been one of the singular most beneficial practices I have adopted. The ability to change one’s mind with the introduction of new information is an admirable and all too lacking trait in Western Society - from my own personal and lived experience. When one subscribes to one thought or idea so heavily that it becomes cemented in their psyche it is a hindrance to growth. We can see examples of people that lack flexibility in thought during any election cycle on both sides of the political spectrum. Ever notice how during an election year people you love are spouting harmful rhetoric with an inability to see any other perspective? I know, because when I was subscribed to Pentecostalism I possessed zero flexibility of thought on my own. I even once publicly posted “All lives matter”. That is until people I loved and respected sat me down and explained the nuance of what I was saying. I didn’t realize at the time that I was speaking in a way that was harmful - until someone took the time to educate me on why we were seeing “Black Lives Matter”. I am forever thankful for the people that take the time to educate me when I am ignorant. This wouldn’t have been possible if I had remained so dedicated to my identity as a Pentacostal - God-Fearing - Conservative woman. This single interaction put me on a path to reassessing the structures that I was accustomed to.

Balance of mind came much later for me. I was living a fearful and reactive life - this is in part my fundamentalist christian-adjacent upbringing and later my adult choice. Studies have been done that concluded religious folk are often operating out of the fear center of the brain. Again, you never have to take my word for anything. The proof is always readily available to anyone who wishes to find it. It was my experience that authority figures were not well balanced - incapable of seeing more than their own perspective. So firm in their perception of reality that they sought to destroy all opposing views instead of seeking to understand and find truth in them. It takes an individual that is well balanced to be able to hear an opposing view without getting angry and without blindly accepting the other perspective as gospel. Balance of mind allows us to see another perspective and honor our own experience.

To be well balanced requires strength. Strength of mind is the ability to sit with the darkest parts of one’s self and unflinchingly discard the thoughts, ideas and beliefs that are holding them back. I started my journey by getting angry at myself. By sitting alone, in the darkest parts of my depression, anxiety and my own bullshit. The parts of myself that I didn’t like. A lot of the parts of me that I didn’t like were actually by-products of the C-PTSD. Complex childhood trauma is tricky because you don’t always know that it is even a factor. It takes strength to examine your reality and figure out where you are contributing to the negativity. It takes even more strength to shed what doesn't serve you - over and over and over again. Until you can find how you are repeating the negative bullshit in your life things won’t get better. That takes strength. So if that is where you are on your healing journey, you are not alone. You are a fighter. You got this. Let’s keep going.

With Compassion, 

Mia Marie

Direct Experience: Transition into Wellness Coaching

Hello, wonderful readers!

I’m Mia Marie, and I’m thrilled to share a significant milestone in my journey of helping others: my transition to wellness coaching. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of assisting many individuals in various capacities. People have often come back to me, sharing how my support has positively impacted their lives. This feedback inspired me to formalize my approach and delve deeper into wellness coaching.

A Natural Transition

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about helping people. Whether it’s offering a fresh perspective, words of encouragement, or simply holding space for someone, I find immense fulfillment in being a source of support. Transitioning to wellness coaching felt like a natural progression—a way to enhance and structure the help I provide.

Real-Life Impact

The stories people share with me are diverse and heartwarming. Sometimes, it’s the small things—a shift in perspective or a few encouraging words—that make the biggest difference. Other times, my support has involved more tangible help, such as:

• Setting Healthy Boundaries: Guiding friends to establish and maintain personal boundaries that protect their mental and emotional well-being.

• Creating Budgets: Assisting individuals in developing and sticking to budgets that alleviate financial stress and promote financial health.

• Tackling Persistent Issues: Helping people create actionable plans to address ongoing challenges in their lives, providing them with the tools to navigate and overcome these obstacles.

Why Wellness Coaching?

Wellness coaching allows me to bring all these elements together into a cohesive practice. It provides a structured framework through which I can offer more comprehensive and effective support. Here’s why I believe in the power of wellness coaching:

• Holistic Approach: Wellness coaching addresses various aspects of a person’s life, including physical health, mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual fulfillment.

• Personalized Plans: Each person’s journey is unique, and wellness coaching allows for tailored plans that meet individual needs and goals.

• Empowerment: The goal of wellness coaching is to empower individuals to take control of their own health and well-being, fostering a sense of self-efficacy and confidence.

My Passion for Helping People

At the heart of my transition to wellness coaching is a deep-seated passion for helping others. There’s nothing more rewarding than witnessing someone transform their life, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals. As a wellness coach, I strive to be a catalyst for positive change, providing the guidance and support needed to navigate life’s complexities.

Looking Forward

I’m excited about this new chapter and the opportunities it brings to connect with and help more people. Through Practicing Love LLC, I aim to create a supportive community where individuals can explore various wellness modalities, receive personalized coaching, and embark on their own journeys of self-discovery and healing.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing more insights, stories, and practical advice with you as we navigate the path to wellness together.

With love and compassion,
Mia Marie

Direct Experience: Reiki

Reiki is commonly taught as a Japanese method for channeling universal healing energy. However, it actually has its roots in Buddhism and was popularized Japan. Universal energy is vague isn’t it? What does she MEAN by that I hear no one asking. It is energy that belongs to the everything as opposed to a deity, singular person, place, or thing. This energy is harnessed through a practitioner and given to others to help clear out energetic blockages hiding in our bodies and our spiritual bodies or auras. Did you know that science says that your energy - vibration - extends roughly 3ft out from where you physical body ends? Well, technically your heart’s electromagnetic field does.

I have been experiencing energy since I was a child in the form of emotions. I didn’t always have the language for it but I could definately feel things that people didn’t always want me to feel. So for me it wasn’t a big leap to believe that everything in this life is energy. The words we speak, the thoughts we think, the food we eat, even the media we engage with - it all has a vibration - an energy. The first time I was introduced to Reiki as a concept it was actually by a fella I didn’t exactly trust. So, it was something I read briefly about and quickly decided that I thought it was nonsense.

That is until I visited my sister, a massage therapist, for Christmas one year. By this time I was already practicing most of the 8 limbs of yoga. Though I wouldn’t come to understand yoga and meditation that way for many years but that is a story for a different day. My sister decided that for Christmas she was going to give me a message and do some Reiki. She asked if I was familiar with it and I said I was vaguely. She ask if it was okay for her to do Reiki on me and I gave her permission. I didn’t know what to expect going into it, not really. I just knew that my sister is further on her healing journey than myself and she has never once steered me wrong. Let me tell you, I knew when the massage stopped and the Reiki started.

I was laying there on her massage table, eyes closed, deeply relaxed and almost asleep when I started to see color. This is actually not a new phenomena for me. I’ve seen colors with my eyes closed since I was a child. Typically at this point in my life though I was only seeing colors when I was meditating. So it was very shocking to me to see hues of gold. I didn’t know this then but gold is a color that often shows up for people while recieving Reiki. It is seen as the color of universal energy in some circles. However it is worth noting that the next Reiki practitioner I went to didn’t emit gold but blue. So, I’m not convinced that it is truly the color of Reiki energy.

That direct experience set me on a path to learn it myself. I found my mentor about 3-4 years later. She attuned me and I’ve been practicing on myself and my anxious kitty ever since. As soon as I was certified level 2 - I started offering to do energy work for my sister in another state. Who said that I showed up for her in the colors of gold and maroon(my signature color). Now, I want to offer it to as many folks as I can.

With Love,
Mia Marie